On March 7, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) announced its newly endorsed projects. Among these, three affiliated projects from the Mega-Delta Programme, led by the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, were successfully endorsed.
Pearl River Delta Estuary Marine Restoration
The project is located in the Pearl River Estuary in Nansha District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. It serves as a key node in the East Asia-Australasia migratory bird flyway and represents one of China’s most typical tropical-subtropical transitional coastal estuarine ecosystems. In response to the Mega Deltas Programme, which addresses the urgent need for marine ecological disaster management and sustainable development in large river deltas, the project has implemented a range of effective measures. Currently, the Pearl River Estuary Delta faces challenges related to ecological disaster reduction and prevention, the provision of ecosystem services, and the survival of wildlife. To address these issues, the project will focus on coastal ecological disaster early warning and monitoring while strengthening the protection and restoration of important marine ecosystems.
Coastal Hazards Mitigation in Asian Major Deltas
Warming climate and intensifying human activities are leading to widespread coastal hazards in deltas globally, with potentially devastating consequences for people and ecosystems. A systematic investigation of delta coastal hazards is key to protecting the people and ecosystems in deltas. CHARM aims to re-assess the coastal hazards in Asian major deltas and provide scientific guidance in making sustainable delta management decisions, starting with the Yellow River Delta in China, the Chao Phraya Delta in Thailand, and the Ganges Delta in Bangladesh. During its implementation, CHARM will: 1) conduct comprehensive investigation of the status and driving forces of major delta coastal hazards, 2) predict the future trends of these coastal hazards by considering both climate and anthropogenic stressors, 3) design and evaluate pathways towards sustainable deltas, 4) conduct capacity building associated with coastal hazards mitigation among local governments and young generation.
Earth Observation on Deltas and Estuaries
The project addresses urgent environmental challenges in ecologically significant and vulnerable areas—deltas and estuaries—critical to global biodiversity, economies, and human livelihoods. Threatened by climate change, rising sea levels, and human activities, these areas face increased risks of ecological degradation and coastal hazards. The project will use cutting-edge earth observation technologies to create a long-term framework for monitoring and assessing key global estuaries and deltas. Focusing on six representative deltas—the Yangtze, Yellow, Red, Irrawaddy, Indus, and Niger—the project integrates satellite data, ground surveys, and socio-economic information to track changes, assess impacts, and develop globally applicable insights. Led by the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, the project involves robust domestic and international collaboration to advance ecological monitoring and management strategies in these critical regions.
Learn more about the Mega-Delta Programme at: https://www.futureearthcoasts.org/mega-delta-working-group/.